Government's gas guzzlers no example to follow

Despite signing up to the Kyoto Agreement in 2002, the Government has continued to purchase some of the worst gas guzzling cars for its ministerial fleet, the Green Party has revealed.

Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons questioned deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen in the House today over the fuel efficiency of the 85 executive-type vehicles in the VIP self-drive and chauffer-driven fleet.

"The Government has no excuse. It's own Fuelsaver website indicates that its ministerial chauffeur-driven cars are made up of some of the thirstiest types of cars in the country — Ford Fairlanes and Ford LTDs, which use a staggering 14.5 litres to drive 100 kilometres.

"This is almost 50 percent more than the average car owned by New Zealanders," Ms Fitzsimons says.

"In addition these Crown cars each produce, on average, six tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, almost three times more than the most efficient comfortable five-seaters coming into the country. The whole fleet unnecessarily adds about 200 tonnes of damaging greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year.

"All the Fairlanes and LTDs were bought after the Prime Minister agreed to sign up to Kyoto. All of them were bought after the Government launched the Govt3 programme to improve the Government's own environmental performance. What message does this send to kiwis who are buying smaller cars, cycling and taking public transport?

"Contrary to what Dr Cullen said in the House, none of the vehicles are listed as running on LPG.

"In an age when everyone is thinking about how we are going to prepare for the end of cheap oil and the impacts of climate change it is shocking that our own Government would be driving us even faster to the brink.

"If this Government was serious about addressing climate change and the end of cheap oil, it would be looking at some of the specifications I tabled in the House, which are cheaper and far more fuel efficient," Ms Fitzsimons says.

Included in the current self-drive fleet are: the Holden Adventura (fuel efficiency listed as 15.3L/100km), the Holden Statesman (12.9L/100km), the Ford Territory (13.L/100km), and the Mitsubishi 380 (11.6L/100km).